So, the plan was to drive to PP summit, hike down a couple miles and shoot the clearing fog Thu morning. Things did not go entirely as planned. I wanted to be off the slopes by noon, but when i got to mm 18, an employee had the road blocked off--too icy apparently. So, i decided to wait it out, and couple hours later they reopened to the summit. It was cold, foggy, and windy. I hiked down a couple miles, and the fog seemed to be clearing at about 11am-ish. Then, i noticed the fog rising rapidly toward the summit--bad news! A minute later, the first clap of thunder. My options were; stay put, descend to the trees, or climb 2 miles to the summit. I opted for the summit dash. A few drops of rain soon turned to driving hard snow pellets--then genuine 100% powder snow! All the while lighning bolts were hitting all around. The groups of people climbing up did not look happy. I grabbed this quick shot as the storm started to clear, a few hundred feet below the summit, it was still snowing and thundering.
Posted by Todd Caudle on August 1, 2009 at 12:13 PM
Nice stuff! That Cirque shot is to die for! And I'm glad it didn't turn literal. I've been on the edge of the Cirque with lightning rolling in, and it's amazing how the thunder rumbles all the way around the walls, making it last that much longer and be that much scarier.
Next time you decide to do something like this, look up Rich Buzzelli's obit. (photographer killed by lightning on PP several years ago.) Might persuade you not to take that chance.
Posted by bill meikle on August 1, 2009 at 12:18 PM
Yeah, i know Rich's story. Coincidentally i was just looking at the summit house photo tribute to him (and your young TC photo as well ) just before i made the trip down.
Bill--trigger wouldnt have helped here, there were no bolts to see, just flashes in the fog.
Living on the edge! Might have been safer to crawl real fast to the summit, being upright during a lightning storm above timberline is not a happy time. That Cirque shot is really nice, and did you ask Bigfoot to sign a model release?
Discussion
16 repliesNext time you decide to do something like this, look up Rich Buzzelli's obit. (photographer killed by lightning on PP several years ago.) Might persuade you not to take that chance.
Bill--trigger wouldnt have helped here, there were no bolts to see, just flashes in the fog.
No need to, Don, ive had a long standing agreement with him since the release of my 2005 photo book, "Bigfoot Slept Here"
I was wondering what the conditions were like up there on Thursday...now I know. Great shots!
I'm glad you came out of that safely with the images to show for it! All of them are sweet, but I love # 2!